Wilderness Traffic- Exit via Forest Road - Traffic Managemet

Wed 1 Nov 2023, 19:05

To be considered as part of the licence application ? 

Sun 29 Oct 2023, 09:16

To be considered with the licence application ??

Thu 10 Aug 2023, 18:22

Mark - What? Ukraine war??  . . .  Not Brexit as well? Kris 🫢

Thu 10 Aug 2023, 17:42

I think that the event and pleasure that this provides is wonderful for all that attend and enjoy, and fully support it . It’s just simple things that can easily be accomplished with planning and forward thinking. Alas, this doesn’t happen - so the events team are either not doing their jobs properly, or working from home , or the Ukraine war has something to do with it ! I think a couple of stop / go signs for 4 hrs on a Monday morning is all that is needed ! 

Thu 10 Aug 2023, 17:01

I know it's not forest road , but the event traffic is still causing chaos, multiple artics trying to come out the wellengton cottages towards witney 

Thu 10 Aug 2023, 15:43

Yes, WODC are the licensing authority for events. Never hurts to cc: the Town Council clerk though!

Thu 10 Aug 2023, 14:27

Mark 

I believe it's the WODC they have dedicated ' Events ' team who deal with larger events and all the aspects that go with it , such as noise / traffic etc 

Thu 10 Aug 2023, 12:45 (last edited on Thu 10 Aug 2023, 12:47)

Is the procedure to write to the Town Council , or WODC , or both ? 

Thu 10 Aug 2023, 12:44

Quite interesting that on talking with one of our neighbours, they were effectively prevented from being able to leave their home for a period of 5 hrs, due to this totally avoidable situation. With the ability to have included sufficient and inexpensive measures in place and being a know and repetitive occurrence- needs to be incorporated into the licence for the event ? All quite simple ? 

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 22:05

Maybe we will see rather better driving / parking behaviour when the Horse Trials take place 6-10 September? 

Given the location of Cornbury and the nature of Charlbury town centre, one would have thought that by now OCC, WODC, TVP,  Cornbury Estate, and all event organisers using Cornbury would have a well honed traffic management plan covering the build-up, running and break-down phases of any significant event at this venue. If not, why not? 

From what I have seen, ALL parties need to up their game, otherwise local residents may quite understandably cry enough. 

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 13:15

I do wonder after 12 or so years of Wilderness, whether 1) they have tried everything traffic management wise or 2) they don't care for it ? 

 You would have thought after that many years they would have gotten it right or they are hoping people give up complaining about it 

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 12:35

Police in attendance- further up Forest Road , but not active at the punch points . 
Gratuitous violence being close to boiling point - fractious kids and crying mothers ! 

I think WODC are here - handing out parking tickets and come to mow the grass !!!! To sum up - Inept!  Like an episode of of a second rate soap ! 

Ambulance now blocked 

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 12:26 (last edited on Mon 7 Aug 2023, 12:28)

It's been nose-to tail traffic most of the morning on Nine Acres due to the problems of parking at the bottom of the lane. I just went to Leafield and it is also gridlocked in that direction. There is a lowloader broken down/ parked on the Witney Road opposite the Finstock entrance to Cornbury so traffic is down to one lane. There is a camper van broken down in Finstock. The traffic lights that were controlling exiting traffic into Finstock have been switched off and there is currently no-one managing the traffic exiting onto the main road.

This is chaos.

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 12:25

And chaos continues even when vehicles finally leave Charlbury. Queue to get onto A44 at Duke of Marlborough is stacked up to Kings Wood. Suspect may be a similar situation at Enstone. 
So yes, some serious traffic management planning needs to be done and implemented. 

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 12:24

The problem is not due to a broken down van. It’s essentially the result of the fact that there’s a blind corner with a single lane width carriageway on the other side of it.  That’s why it’s entirely predictable and happens every single year.

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 12:15

The problem is an annual event - raised a week ago with the post anticipating this - ignored - 2 accidents in the last half hour , pavement being used by vehicles and a couple of pending fights ! What a ( avoidable ) disaster ! 

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 12:13

The annual, entirely predictable logjam in Market Street, Thames Street and (worst of all) Dyers Hill is still going on, 90 minutes after it began. It’s not just deeply unpleasant on account of the associated noise, pollution and bad temper. It’s also dangerous - with cars, vans and caravans driving along the pavements without regard to pedestrians’ safety.

Residents have repeatedly asked for steps to be taken to address this situation, whether by means of temporary traffic lights or marshals. But nothing is ever done.

What does that say about Wilderness’s respect for the local community? They must spend a huge amount on the marshals deployed for other purposes so why can’t they fund a few for traffic management on the Monday morning?

And what does the inaction by the local authorities say about our elected representatives’ concern for residents’ safety and amenities?

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 12:10

The problem is on nineacress lane a broken down van beening recovered

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 11:57

I was working in Chilson and managed to turn round at the station. Came back through taston with other cars following me. It won't take a lot for Banbury hill to back up either now that traffic island takes it down to one way. 

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 11:56 (last edited on Mon 7 Aug 2023, 11:56)

The Town Council have raised it with the organisers.  The issue tends to be with those drivers who ignore event instructions or let their satnav overrule their brain.

Ultimately it is a matter for the highway authority (OCC), the licensing authority (WODC) and the police.

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 11:49

Agreed, it's been gridlocked for the past hour. At one point 2 fire brigade vehicles were penned in and if they'd have received a call out they wouldn't have been able to get through. Once the festival is over I don't think the organisers care much, so long as everyone is out of Cornbury Park by a certain time...

Mon 7 Aug 2023, 11:03

And, as predicted- Forest Road, Dyers Hill and Thames Street - Traffic chaos , blocked roads and irate motorists. Lots of camper vans and vehicles with trailers ( unable to reverse) making driving on the pavements the only option! Why is there no management or control , maybe a town council issue, ? or OCC Highways ? Happens every year . Total Gridlock ! 

Sat 29 Jul 2023, 17:06

A bit late to put this out for comment or the organisers to consider, but every year when the vehicles exit the festival and route back through the town via Dyers Hill, there is always a blockage and irate drivers who have nowhere to manoeuvre due to the nature of the road lay out and width of the road. 
Is it possible to introduce traffic management system, or perhaps the town council raise this with the organisers to prevent the problems and inconvenience for the station users? 

It is farcical and quite ‘ interesting ‘ to view tempers rising and anger management issues from people who have had a chilled weekend !